Orange blossom, satsuma, orange soda, honeydew melon, honey cane sweetness, balanced acidity and sweetness, lingering sweetness
Panama Hacienda La Esmeralda Red Label, Green Label, options as follows:
Packaging method：
➡ Coffee Bean Sampler Pack (20g/pack)
➡ Coffee Beans 1/4 lb (115g/pack) - One-Way Degassing Valve + Freshness-Retaining Zipper Aluminum Foil Bag
➡ Coffee Beans 1/2 lb (230g/pack) - One-Way Degassing Valve + Freshness-Retaining Zipper Paper Bag
Shelf life: 4 months (The coffee beans have a 4-month shelf life, starting from the roast date, for optimal flavor.)
Justin Coffee successfully secured a lot of Hacienda La Esmeralda’s auction Geisha at the joint auction, reaching an astonishing NT$120,000 per kilogram—unlocking both the Auction Lot and the Black Label at once!
This legendary Geisha is truly a dreamlike rarity, coveted by serious collectors. Extremely limited, and now proudly shared with you.
Panama Hacienda La Esmeralda 2025 Auction Cañas Verdes EA1 Gigante San Jose W Geisha Washed
---------
Panama Hacienda La Esmeralda Nano Lot El Velo Pinto 5FC Geisha Washed
---------
Panama Hacienda La Esmeralda Nano Lot Canas Verdes Gigante 9NC Geisha Natural
---------
Panama Hacienda La Esmeralda Red Label Special El Velo Porton Geisha Washed
---------
Panama Hacienda La Esmeralda Red Label Special Cañas Verdes Cabana Abajo Geisha Washed
---------
Panama Hacienda La Esmeralda Red Label Special El Velo Porton Geisha Natural
------
Panama Hacienda La Esmeralda Red Label Special Jaramillo Mario Abajo Geisha Natural
Panama Hacienda La Esmeralda Private Collection El Velo Geisha Washed
Panama Hacienda La Esmeralda Green Label Private Collection Geisha Natural
Coffee Flavor
The flavors of coffee are derived from the breakdown of various nutrients in the green coffee beans during roasting. Heat causes these compounds to degrade into a variety of aromatic molecular structures, resulting in a wide spectrum of flavors. High-quality coffee beans naturally possess a rich aroma that evolves at different temperatures—high, medium, and low—offering a delightful and nuanced experience worth savoring.
Panama Hacienda La Esmeralda Red Label Special El Velo Porton Geisha Washed
Orange blossom, bergamot, black tea aroma, yellow lemon, honey sweetness, smooth juice-like texture, with a balanced sweet and sour profile
Panama Hacienda La Esmeralda Special Cañas Verdes Cabana Abajo Geisha Washed
Perfumed lily, orange, lemon, brown sugar, and sweet aiyu jelly, with a lingering floral honey sweetness in the finish. Smooth and juice-like mouthfeel.
Panama Hacienda La Esmeralda Red Label Special El Velo Porton Geisha Natural
Safflower, peach, lychee, mixed berries, grape, and brown sugar, with peach-like acidity and melon-like sweetness. The texture is delicate yet full-bodied, with a lingering finish of safflower and peach.
Panama Hacienda La Esmeralda Red Label Special Jaramillo Mario Abajo Geisha Natural
Wild ginger flower, citrus, yellow lemon, apple, cherry, finish with sweet lemon blossom honey, smooth and rounded juicy texture, pear and honey sweetness, lemon-citrus acidity
Panama Hacienda La Esmeralda Special El Velo Porton Geisha Natural
Safflower, peach, lychee, berries, grape, brown sugar, peach acidity, melon sweetness, delicate and full-bodied mouthfeel, finish with safflower and peach notes
Panama Hacienda La Esmeralda Special Jaramillo Mario Abajo Geisha Natural
Orange blossom, satsuma, orange soda, honeydew melon, honey cane sweetness, balanced acidity and sweetness, lingering sweetness
Panama Hacienda La Esmeralda Private Collection Cañas Verdes Geisha Washed
Yellow lemon, citrus, floral notes, lychee, honey, Ruby Black Tea sweetness, a finish of lemon and florals, bright and delicate.
Panama Hacienda La Esmeralda Green Label Private Collection Geisha Washed Panama Hacienda La Esmeralda Private Collection Geisha Natural
Apricot, citrus, grape, strawberry, floral notes; juicy and nectar-like with a syrupy, smooth mouthfeel, sweet and luscious.
At Justin Coffee, we have carefully selected the Red Label 【Special Batch】 and Green Label 【Reserve Batch】 to bring you a precious experience of liquid gold!
La Esmeralda is a world-renowned coffee estate located in Boquete, Panama, famous for cultivating Geisha coffee. Known for its meticulous care for the natural environment, it has been awarded the Rainforest Alliance Certification. While the estate is globally celebrated for its Geisha variety, its exceptional environment and green bean processing techniques have also earned acclaim for other coffee varieties grown there. It is a consistent champion in major competitions.
La Esmeralda Estate consists of four farms: Cañas Verdes, El Velo, Jaramillo, and Palmira. All coffee cherries are processed at one of these four farms. Each plot at Hacienda La Esmeralda Estate boasts unique altitudes, elevations, climatic conditions, and processing methods. This rich diversity has made Hacienda La Esmeralda one of the most sought-after and influential estates among specialty coffee enthusiasts worldwide.
Since 2004, La Esmeralda Estate has won consecutive championships and, starting in 2008, began hosting independent auction events, setting numerous record-breaking prices. The awards record is as follows:
Champion of the Rainforest Alliance Cupping for Quality Competition (2013, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2004)
Champion of Best of Panama (2025, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2015, 2013, 2010, 2009, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004)
2nd Place Coffee of the Year in SCAA (2009, 2008)
Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) Cup Tasters Championship (2007, 2006, 2005)
La Esmeralda Estate "Special Nanolots Geisha", "Red Lebel", " Green Lebel", "Blue Lebel"
Champion of Best of Panama (2025, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2015, 2013, 2010, 2009, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004)
2nd Place Coffee of the Year in SCAA (2009, 2008)
Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) Cup Tasters Championship (2007, 2006, 2005)
Hacienda La Esmeralda in Panama is renowned for its exceptional Geisha coffee, a variety celebrated for its distinctive floral and fruity aromatics, bright acidity, and pronounced sweetness. Esmeralda’s Geisha showcases remarkable clarity in floral notes, citrus tones, and tropical fruit flavors, highlighting the variety’s outstanding expression in Panama’s highlands.
Hacienda La Esmeralda is also well known for its meticulous grading system for Geisha coffee, which is primarily based on growing elevation and cupping scores. The coffees are generally categorized into the following tiers:
競標藝妓 Esmeralda Auction Geisha
The “auction” designation refers to the annual Esmeralda Special Auction, an online event where Hacienda La Esmeralda releases its top-performing Geisha micro-lots of the season—each clearly identified by farm, plot, and processing method. Registered buyers from around the world place bids online, and the highest bidders secure these rare, limited lots.
The 2025 auction is scheduled for August 21, themed “A Floral Experience.” This event is widely regarded as the benchmark for Geisha quality and pricing each year, often setting record highs and shaping the industry’s flavor trends for the season.
JC Coffee successfully acquired EA1 GIGANTE SAN JOSE W at US$3,850.00 per kilogram, a true collector’s treasure sought after by connoisseurs worldwide.
黑標【稀有批次】Black Label — Special Nanolots Geisha
This category refers to Hacienda La Esmeralda’s most exceptional micro-lots, known as “Special Nanolots Geisha.” These coffees are selected from specific microclimate plots above 1,900 meters, offering stunning flavor clarity and extremely limited yields. Each Black Label release is essentially a signature expression of the estate for that year.
These lots are not available for general sale; they are typically released only through the annual auction or in very small allocations to selected clients, making them rare and highly valued. The term “Black Label” is mainly used in Chinese-speaking markets and does not appear on the official Esmeralda website. Therefore, it is not an official classification but an informal market name inspired by the distinctive black labels on the packaging.
紅標【特殊批次】Red Lebel【Special batch】
➞ Grown at an altitude of 1,600–1,800 meters
➞ Cupping score of 91+ points
➞ Primarily produced at the Jaramillo and Cañas Verdes farms, representing the highest-quality Geisha coffee
➞ Harvested from the highest elevations of the Boquete mountain region, featuring unique and bright floral and citrus aromas
➞ This grade of coffee undergoes natural or washed processing methods, with yeast fermentation added in 2018
綠標【珍藏批次】Green Label 【Reserve Batch】
➞ Grown at an altitude of 1,600–1,800 meters
➞ Micro-lot coffee beans sourced from three different farms: Jaramillo, Quiel, and Cañas Verdes
➞ Although not the highest-grade auction lot, this Geisha coffee still delivers the classic flavors of Geisha beans, including floral, fruity, and citrusy acidity with a rich, juicy texture
➞ Handpicked from perfectly ripe coffee cherries, offering a profile of sweetness, bright acidity, and delicious flavors
➞ This grade of Geisha coffee is available in either washed or natural processed green beans
藍標【精選批次】Blue Label 【Selected Batch】
➞ Grown at an altitude of 1,500 meters
➞ A blend of beans from three different farms: Jaramillo, Cañas Verdes, and El Velo
➞ Slight floral notes, fruity acidity, and sweetness, with a cleaner and lighter body compared to the Red Label
➞ This grade of Geisha coffee is available only in washed-processed green beans
※ Starting in 2021, Esmeralda Estate discontinued the Blue Label batch.
藝伎/藝妓咖啡(Geisha/Gesha)
Geisha coffee, once named one of the "World's Top 10 Most Expensive Coffees" by Forbes, is a legendary name in the world of specialty coffee. However, there is significant confusion surrounding the Geisha variety, as several genetically distinct plant types are referred to as Geisha, many of which share a similar geographic origin in Ethiopia. Recent genetic diversity analysis conducted by the World Coffee Research confirms that the T2722 variety cultivated in Panama is both unique and consistent. When well-managed in high-altitude regions, this variety is strongly correlated with exceptional cupping quality and is renowned for its delicate floral aroma, jasmine notes, and peach-like fragrance.
The Geisha variety that has thrived in Panama for over 60 years is the T2722 variety. It was originally collected in the 1930s from the coffee forests of Ethiopia. The seeds were sent to the Lyamungu Research Station in Tanzania and later transported to Central America in 1953, where they were documented at the Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza (CATIE) in Costa Rica under the designation T2722. During the 1960s, it was recognized for its tolerance to coffee leaf rust and was distributed by CATIE across Panama. However, due to its fragile branches, it was not favored by farmers and thus was not widely planted. It wasn’t until 2005, when the Peterson family of Boquete, Panama, entered this coffee into the Best of Panama competition and auction, that the variety gained fame. It received exceptional praise and set a record for green coffee auction prices at the time.
Regarding the name "Geisha," the spellings "Geisha" and "Gesha" are often used interchangeably. This is related to phonetic transliteration, as there is no fixed translation from Ethiopian dialects to English. The variety was originally recorded as "Geisha" in planting records. Over the decades, coffee researchers and cultivation databases maintained this spelling, leading to its widespread promotion and use within the coffee industry. The variety was first collected from a mountain in Ethiopia, the name of which is typically translated into English as either "Gesha" or "Geisha."
In recent years, the cultivation of the Geisha variety has gained popularity worldwide, achieving remarkable success in major coffee competitions. This includes regions in Central and South America such as Guatemala, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Colombia, and Peru, where the variety has often been transplanted from Panama's T2722. Additionally, Taiwan has also begun cultivating Geisha in many high-altitude regions. Typically, the higher the elevation, the more enchanting the coffee’s flavor becomes.
Coffee Processes
Refers to the process of transforming ripe red coffee cherries into dried green beans. Each processing method has its pros and cons, influenced by the natural environment and specific demands of the producing region. As a result, each region adopts the method most suitable for its conditions. For this batch, both Natural and Washed processing methods were used, briefly described below:
【Natural Process / Sundried / Dry Processed】
Also known as the natural drying method or unwashed process, the natural process is one of the most traditional and widely used methods of coffee processing. This method does not involve the use of water. Originating in Ethiopia, coffee cherries are harvested and laid out to dry under the sun before being hulled. The seeds remain inside the fruit throughout the extended drying period, absorbing flavors from the skin, pulp, and mucilage. This process enhances the coffee's sweetness and body, often resulting in unique and distinctive aromas.
Producers spread the cherries on drying beds, which may consist of terraces or raised platforms. Over the course of 3 to 6 weeks, the cherries undergo fermentation. Producers turn the cherries regularly to ensure even drying and to prevent spoilage. During this time, the sugars in the fruit and the mucilage adhered to the seeds develop complex flavors, contributing to a sweeter profile.
Once dried, the fruit layers are mechanically removed from the seeds. Natural-processed coffee is often juicy and syrupy, with a rich flavor that makes the effort behind this method well worth it.
【Washed Process / Wet Processed】
Also known as the wet process, this method involves removing the skin and pulp of the coffee cherries before drying. The seeds are then fermented in water tanks to eliminate the remaining mucilage on their surface, followed by thorough washing and drying under sunlight or with mechanical dryers.
The washed process produces a cleaner and crisper flavor profile compared to the natural process. Coffees processed this way typically have lighter body, brighter acidity, and distinct fruit flavors. This method is often associated with specialty coffee due to its clarity and vibrant flavor expression.
JUSTIN INTERNATIONAL FOOD ENTERPRISE CO., LTD.
Tel: +886-3-358-6611
1st Floor, No. 30, Lane 120, Daxing Road, Taoyuan District, Taoyuan City
▶This product is covered by a NT$10 million product liability insurance.
▶Food Industry Registration Number: F-165601955-00000-0
▶ Our company’s cupper is certified as a CQI International Coffee Quality Appraiser.
Recommended Products
※ For detailed shipping and payment information, invoices, overseas ordering instructions, etc., please click here to enter.
